Intergalactic Rejects: A Calendar of Fools Anthology

by Storm Humbert (Editor), Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta

For a collection of exciting, powerful science fiction and fantasy stories. For a reminder that rejection isn’t the end and to never give up on stories you believe in.

A man who lost his son finds family again piloting a lab-grown dolphin and helping it navigate loss while, hopefully, preventing more; an Irish goddess must contend with the magic of a saint to save her people; and a bullied boy finds common cause with the ghosts of dead horses in the basement of the Hermitage Museum.

These stories and many more await in this anthology of stories. Each one powerfully demonstrates the point of this that great stories are rejected every day. From Science Fiction Grand Masters and New York Times bestsellers to writers just starting their career, this anthology is packed full of strong stories that waited a long time to find a home. Every story is accompanied by a rejection history from the author themselves, each with different lessons on the nature and meaning of rejection as well as words of encouragement for their fellow authors on those days when the rejections roll in too many at a time.

Along with the seven stories from our anchor authors Samuel R. Delany, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta, Gregory Norman Bossert, Jean Marie Ward, William Joseph Roberts, and David Boop, we also have an original essay from Robert Silverberg, and a foreword by Neil Clarke, the editor and publisher of Clarkesworld Magazine.

Finally, there are also thirteen original stories slushed from our open call by Christopher Blake, Laurence Raphael Brothers, Marie Croke, Sam Harris, Andrew Jackson, Stephen Kotowych, Rich Larson, Sam Loiaconi, Amelia Dee Mueller, Sam W. Pisciotta, Erica Ruppert, Paul Dale Smith, and Catherine Wells.

296 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2025

Reviews

[John Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concept of this anthology: each story has a history of rejection, but the authors all had faith that their story would eventually be published for the world to read. For readers, these stories were judged to be the best in science fiction and fantasy of all types rescued from obscurity until now. For aspiring authors, these stories illustrate the concept that rejections are not always a sign the story is no good. The Foreword by Neil Clarke, editor and publisher of Clarkesworld magazine, covers the process he uses to buy a story, and the closing essay by Robert Silverberg offers his perspective on how to handle rejection.

This unique anthology is a must for lovers of science fiction and fantasy, as well as authors seeking to break into this genre.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really interesting stuff here. Not much I’ll ever read again but I loved Tears in the Nursery and The Horses of Pryzryk(?). Both of those really got to me